


Choose to stay

by Blue_23Eyes



Category: Mel and jack, Virgin river
Genre: F/M, mel and jack - Freeform, virgin river - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-27
Updated: 2020-07-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:47:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23339371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_23Eyes/pseuds/Blue_23Eyes
Summary: Virgin rivers Changing the ending of how the season ended, i could not live with how they left it. So i put a twist to it, don't read it if you don't want spoilers.hope this will hold some of us over until season 2.
Relationships: Melinda and Jack, mel and jack - Relationship
Comments: 8
Kudos: 50





	1. Emotions

**Author's Note:**

> I just watched Virgin Rivers this week while laying low at the house due to the virus, I did not like how it ended and sense we don't get another season until the later part of the year. I thought I would change the ending to something I could live with.
> 
> Don't read if you don't want spoilers
> 
> after 4 months of not writing i picked it up again after much inspiration, think im gonna take this as far as I can chapter wise. 
> 
> if anyone has any good plot thoughts or ideas, let me know.

Jack's POV

He had been waiting there for Mel to get home from work for over 30 min, It had been getting really cold outside but he diddn't care. Earlier that day Hope had accidentally let slip some earth shattering news to Mel before jack could tell her himself.  
He was fuming at Hope but for the moment he put those feelings of irritation to the side, He wanted to focus on one crises at a time.

Everything all happened all at once, He had yet to process what this would mean for his future let alone how it would effect his blooming ' Thing' with Mel.  
His brain was racing 100 miles an hour, all he needs to do is get her to listen and give her a reason to stay, he kept telling himself.  
From a distance he heard a car coming closer. In his head he kept replaying the same dialog in circles trying to memorize what he wanted to say to her. He knew once he saw her all logic would fade away, all the rehearsed lines would be for not and it would be just him pleading for her understanding. From the first moment he saw her to the first time he got to make her smile this woman did something to him that he could not put into words. 

When he saw Mel's red BMW pull into her drive way, his posture grew stoic and all of a sudden he couldnt speak, fear overcame him.  
Mel was looking straight at him with a defeated blank expression. She took a deep breath and prepared herself mentally before she got out of the car. 

MEL's POV 

It had been a long day for her, after seeing Jack in his office and confronting him about the fact that she knew about the baby, she became defeated.  
She just started gaining closure over her husbands death and allowing herself to open up to Jack despite her better judgment.  
whenever she saw him her heart fluttered like she was 17 again, She could not remember the last time she had felt that way. He made her forget about all her loss and heartache every time she gazed into those gentle blue eyes. For the first time in forever she could laugh and feel happy without the gnaw of guilt in her chest.  
He made her feel desired and safe.  
When she found out about the baby she felt her heart drop to the ground. It felt like she was smacked back into reality, the reality of Hurt and loss. It was then that she knew that this one thing could change everything. 'Jack' her theoretical Silver lining just got complicated, and complicated was not something she was sure she could do right now. .

As she pulled up to her house she saw Jack standing right in-front of her cabin, He looked like a wreck. She understood this was hard for him, it's not like this was his plan and she knew that. Before she got out of her car she took a deep breathe not knowing what she was going to do or say once she got out. 

Her heart sank for him, her heart sank for her. Everything between them had been so good, so simple and sweet, this blew it all up. made everything more real and smacked them out of serendipity.  
She slowly made her way out of the car, shut the door and leaned against her car letting out an exhausted sigh.  
Her head fell back and her posture sunk. Her gaze fell on him as he started walking towards her slowly.

" Hey" 

"Hi" He let out in a gentle low voice. his one hand running through his hair, as he came close enough his other hand reaching out for her hand.  
looking down at his hand everything in her knew she should put her walls up but she couldn't, she was like putty in his hands.  
She took his hand gently, without much thought or hesitation she pushed herself off her car and took the lead, leading them inside her cabin without saying a word. 


	2. Grey Area's

She missed the loss of his touch when she let go of his hand to open the cabin door. Her mind was mush, so many thoughts, questions and emotions tied up in her mind, it all felt like knots strangling her mentally but his touch, Jacks warmth and ease somehow calmed all her thoughts in one action just placing his hand on hers. Now that it's gone her brain starts to panic, her thoughts become all mushy again, her words don't come, everything in her just froze. 

She closed the door and made her way to her couch placing everything on the ground next to her, she got comfortable, leaned her hand against the side of her head and just stared at jack, allowing a small breath that she didn't know she was holding in, out. 

" How are you?" Mel asked, even though there were so many other probing questions she wanted to ask, she could see he was struggling to.

Jack stood a few feet from the door, there eye's met. In that moment it felt like everything would be okay, she observed him slowly making his way over to the couch. Almost like he felt like if he moved to fast he would scare her away, which is not far from the truth.  
He found his way to the couch and sat down, He sat on the opposite corner from her, giving her some space to feel safe. 

As he leaned back to create space, Mel leaned forward taking his hand in her's, she played with it for a while as she waited for a response to her question.  
" I love your hand's" She says with a coy side smile, She finally stops playing with his hands and just allowed them to rest together keeping her eye on there hands. 

" i'm sorry about everything and how it unfolded this morning. I wanted to tell you everything but i was still processing it and i wanted to be able to bring it to you in a more private setting. I wasn't excpecting for Hope to...".

Before he could finish his thought Mel cut him off, With her focus still on him, she closed the distance between them on the couch, and rests her hands on his thigh.

"I know it would have been a lot for you to process, i get that you needed time to come to terms with what this could mean for you, for us". As she said that she paused for a moment trying to gather her thoughts.  
" Have you thought about what this means for you?" She end unsure of how that question sounded or what she even wanted him to say.

They stayed quite for a while, he was trying to process how to go about this sensitive subject while being honest. He leaned up against the back of the couch and slowly pushed some hair strands that was falling in front of her face behind her ear, then placed his hand on top of hers gently caressing it.  
" If the question is am i going to help support the baby?, then the answer is yes i will Love and be there for it as best as i can. If the question is where does this leave us?, all i can say is how i feel." He stopped and gazed into what he thought were the most beautiful hazel eyes he had ever scene, questioning himself of he should be honest in this moment or keep how he really felt to himself. In a moment of complete bravery he decided to let it all off his chest, not knowing how she would respond.  
" All i know, for a fact is that I'm falling in love with you" His eyes stared softly at her as she looked up at him in shock  
Not knowing what to say, she just sat there allowing them to be in that moment, taking in the sincerity of his deep blue eyes.

" From the first day i met you, i knew, i knew there was something about you and i cannot stop the way i feel. I know this situation is difficult and wont be easy to balance but i will not be able to live with myself if you left without knowing where i stand".

With a heavy heat Mel refocused on there hands entangled together on his lap, letting out a soft sigh shed leaned up against the couch  
" I think there's a few things i should tell you".

For the next few hours Mel opened up to jack about her husbands death and her journey with loosing her baby. They shared stories, tears and soft smiles of admiration. In that moment more then ever jack knew that he could not let her go, she had become everything to him even though it had not been very long, he couldn't or maybe didn't want to remember a time where she was not in his life. 

It was becoming very late and there conversation had turned into a peaceful silence, there were empty wine glasses on the coffee table that accompanied the empty bottle of wine beside it. They were sitting as close as two people could sit without being on top of each other. After such a long night they were both so emotionally exhausted instead of words there eyes were doing all the talking, both the sides of there heads rested on the back of the couch as they faced one another. 

" Well that was nice" Jack spoke softly " we should talk more often" he said with a small smile  
" Thank you for listening, i don't think i have told anyone that sense it all happened, everyone in my life already knew everything. It feels good to tell you"  
she spoke in such a whispered tired voice

"I had no clue about everything you had gone through, i understand if this is too much for you and you need time. Know matter what you decide you need to do just know i am not going anywhere and i will be as patient as you need me to be". 

Her mind felt more clear then it had been in a long time, opening up to jack helped her realize how much she cared and knew she could trust him. The only question still circling her mind was weather or not she could be apart of him having a baby with someone ells. If she was completely honest with herself just the thought of it was hurtful. It felt like just one more thing she could never give him that someone ells could.  
Without much thought she knew she had to be honest with herself and how she feeling

"I honestly don't know if i can emotionally watch you raise someone ellses kid if we stayed together, It would hurt. But sense he died your the only thing in my life that has made any sense, i care for you very much" with a small pause she takes a breath and gazes into his dazzling deep blue eyes.

" Despite everything i want to continue this" She squeezed his hand tighter  
" I know if we can make this work it can be good, i know this is hard for you as well. I want to be there for you while you go through this new journey, you wont be alone" 

His facial expression was a mix of bewilderment and amazement, he couldn't quit figure out what to say except one question kept rolling around in his head.  
" Why?, Why would you stay with me after all this"

With a small smile she leaned forward and cupped his face.  
" Because you are a good guy, you are doing the right thing, In my mind nothing ells matters"

After the words left her lips she slowly closed the distance between the two of them, The kiss was gentle and soft. It didn't last long, they just sat there with their foreheads rested against the others taking in the intimate moment between just the two of them, hoping it would never pass.


	3. The morning after

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens next.  
> Not much plot, but cute. 
> 
> sorry about the lack of paragraphs, I'm camping and doing this on my phone.  
> although I type it a certain way, it won't show it that way when I publish it which makes no sense. hope you enjoy!.

It's morning and Mel's eye lids refuse to open, She's awaken by her obnoxious phone alarm blaring through the morning silence. It doesn't take much more then 30 seconds of repetitive loud screaming sounds from her phone to make her abruptly role over and hit the sleep button.

" UGH" she let's out a small sounds of frustration. She roles over and lays there in her warm, cozy bed trying to convince herself to get up and go for a run. ' It's good for you Mel', she tells herself but it doesn't make her want to move. In fact she clings to her blankets tighter and curls into a ball. Slowly sifting through the morning foggy brain she remembered Jack spent the night. She sat up looking around her cabin not seeing anyone. Assuming he left early for work she had an idea, 'If you get up now you can run by Jack's and say Hi before he opens'. she thought.

'Yes that's what you will do'. With a small smile plastered on her face, she rolls herself out of bed and makes her way over to her closet to contemplate what to wear. Without much thought mostly instinct she throws on her favorite Black leggings, Maroon tank top and Grey Nike sweat shirt and heads out for her morning run. She tries to keep a steady pace as she concentrates on her breathing. Her thoughts wonder into the events from the night before. After they kissed he laid in bed with her, holding her until she fell asleep, When she woke up he was gone. She was still trying to wrap her head around kissing him, his touch, how natural his body molded with hers. After there talk she knew whatever they had was worth investing in. He made her feel safe, the butterflies she got with him were feelings she thought only her husband could give her. She never fathomed experiencing another connection so strong with anyone else, Even though she was still raw from his death she was trying to give herself the permission to move on. She knew that she needed to go slow but she also did not want to regret not being spontaneous when she felt like doing something and right now in this moment that meant surprising him at work with a morning kiss. She was rounding the corner coming up to Jack's bar, she had to admit to herself Virgin River was starting to grow on her. After a month of morning runs she knew she could never just go back to a treadmill at the gym. The fresh air, the Greenery and flowing streams were a good distraction from the burning thighs and brisk air that made it hurt to breathe after long periods of time. The people were nice, kinda nosey for her liking but for the most part very accommodating. But mostly it was Jack, she knew, she even told him he was the only reason she even cared to stay there, He was starting to feel like home. She made her way to the door and looked through the window. It was empty, she knew Jack keeps the door unlocked in the mornings to allow strays in. so she slowly opened the door and crept inside. As she let herself in she still saw know one, She heard faint noises from the kitchen it sounded like singing, a smile crept on her face. she couldn't help but react to the soothing melodies that was Jack Humming. As she poped her head into the kitchen she saw him moving around the kitchen with ease, it was captivating to watch. The more time she observed him sense they first met the more she couldn't deny the attraction she felt for him. She decided to rest against the door frame of the kitchen and just observe him in his element. He was wearing a red flannel button down with casual denim jeans. Taking in the sight before her she decided to say her thoughts out loud. He was preparing what looked like eggs and toast, the smell of coffee quaffed through the air. " Red looks good on you " She said with a sly smile and a bite of her lip. Flustered Jack spilt fresh hot coffee on his hand, he slightly jumped as she spoke. " Owe agggh, Dammit " he whisperd under his breath he turned his head to see a beautiful woman leaning up against the door frame. "Omgosh are you okay, I'm so sorry I should not of snuck up behind you" she rushes into the the kitchen by Jack's side and gently takes a hold of his hand checking for any bad burns. She looks up at Jack with a sly smile, brings his hand to her lips and places a lingering gentle kiss where the burn would be. " It should be fine now " she states with a grin. She lets go of his hand and wraps her arms around his shoulders before he had any chance to take a look at it himself. " I'll take your word for it" he says as he wraps his arms around her waist. They stay there just taking each other in for a second, it's a comfortable silence they both seem to appreciate. "Well this is a welcomed surprise, what are you doing here?" Jack asks as he gently pulls some stranded hairs out of her face and behind her ear. " I woke up early to go for a run and you weren't there" after a beat she adds " I missed you, so I decided I would come see you before you open" He smiles and adds curiously " Why before I opened?" he asks with an intriguing facial expression. She smiles knowingly and leans forward slowly, just before their lips touch she adds " So i could do this" The gap between them becomes non existent as they find themselves lost in each others arms. She had been longing to do this all morning, if she wasn't careful she knew her eagerness would over take her, at the same time she wanted to stay mysterious and not too clingy. So at that she pulled back slightly, both of their eyes still closed inches away from one another. With a small smile Jack was the first one to break the silence, knowing what he was about to say would ruin their moment. " I think i smell our toast burning" he whispered " yah, wait ......... Our" she pulled away a little more and gave him a acquisitive look. " I forgot to mention i made us breakfast?" he said as if it were a question " You made US breakfast" He pulled her in closer to feel her body against his one last time, longing for the warmth that just was. " I didn't want to use your kitchen, plus i dont know where any of your things are, so i came in a bit ago and i was about to bring breakfast to you .......... in bed." Her heart melted, words felt meaningless in that moment, her body relaxed as she fell into his kiss. The way his lips moved against hers felt like the oceans tide, a momentous rush with rhythm. Push and pull, passion and the want for more, always wanting for more that's how she felt every time she allowed herself to get swept away in his desire for her. Before too long both of them pulled away un willingly after hearing a growling noise. They both looked around the room unsure of where on earth that noise was coming from. After a second of questionable looks and curiosity, they both looked down at there stomachs, without hesitation Mel let go of Jack and wrapped her hands around her stomach. " I think it heard the word food" she stated with small laugh Jack smiles and laughs as he makes his way over the counter, grabs their food and coffee and motions for her to follow him into the bar area. They make themselves comfortable on the stools as jack places the food and coffee in front of them. " Bon apatite, We have burnt toast with my Specialty eggs alla scrambled with cheese. I want you to imagine the toast not burnt." He said with a smile. Mel closes her eyes " Okay, I'm imagining it" she opened he eyes and looked back at her plate with a frown. Looking up at Jack with a puppy dog face she disappointingly made an observation. " Nope it didn't work". Jack laughs " Well if you just waited in bed, it wouldn't be burnt" " oh no that kiss was worth it, and burnt or not this is perfect." Jack slid his hand on top of hers craving her touch, hating the absence of her warmth. He would take every opportunity he could to show her his affection, even if for now it meant only when they found themselves alone for now. " you know when I was a little girl, my dad would make me scrambled eggs every day after my mom passed away. After he died that's all I ate for breakfast for a whole year, I haven't had them sense." she stared at the eggs as if they were a ghost from her past. Un sure of what to say He fumbles through responses in his head until settles on what he thinks is safe and sweet, after what had been a few seconds . "Well I hope these eggs live up to the standards your father set " I seriously hope not, I don't think the man knew what salt and pepper were, the eggs were always very bland. It wasn't until after he passed that found out you can actually season food, it was a miracle." she said smiling. " Growing up my mother taught me how to make scrambled eggs, not much else. I'm afraid I'm a one trick pony, luckily for you salt and pepper was high on her vocabulary list". They both laughed as they started to take bits and enjoy the food in front of them. After there food was gone and some time had past she cradled her coffee in her hands eyes closed, taking in this moment. " That was really good, Blew my dad's eggs out of the water. Maybe that's how I should have been vetting men this whole time." Jack looked a little confused "If they don't know what salt and pepper is, its a hard pass she smiled as she leaned in a little closer to Jack. " Hmmm how did i do?" slowly leaning into her " There's no competition for you, you already won." She smiled as she bit her lip, allowing him to close the distance between the two of them. His lips gently brushed up against hers finding there rhythm. His hand slid up against her cheek as she wrapped her arms around his neck. The pace stayed slow and sweet, not lasting to long. they stayed like that for a while with there for heads together and eyes closed. The sound of foot steps broke them apart without hesitation, even though there was plenty of hesitation from both ends. Looking around the bar they saw preacher walking into the dinner. they both let out shocked and surprised laughs. Mel unsure of what he had scene she decided this would be her exit. "Hey preacher". Jack greats him " Good morning you two" He says with a nod " Ill just be getting prepped in the kitchen". he says " It's all right I was on my way out, I have to get ready for work." She stand up off of the stool while looking at Jack. "Thank you for breakfast" She smiles at him, As she starts to walk away he grabs her hand. In shock he turns around the stares at him with a questionable smile. " Let me walk you out" He stands up and follows behind her never letting go of her hand. They stand right out side the bar door, both looking around making sure know-one was around, he pulled her close around her waist not want wanting to ever let go. With almost a tease of a smile and a bite of her lip she falls into his embrace placing the most soft, gentle haste kiss on his lips. Her arms wrap around his neck, both of them enjoying whatever they can get of these small tangible moments. "I should really go She whispers "I'll see you tonight?" he asks " Save me a spot at the bar." "i think i can make that happen " He quips. She pulls him in for one last kiss, allowing herself to get lost in him one last time before she had to leave. He pulls her in tighter as his hands make his way down her spine. She slides her tongue in as he allows entrance, before they know it it becomes slow and intense, there bodies wanting more then they could give in that moment. A moan comes out of her and at that she reluctantly pulls back. Pushing him away at arm length to restrain herself, she blushes as she stares at those blue desperate eyes that are staring back at her. Without saying a word She slowly walks away waiting till the last inch where he becomes to far away to hold her hand any longer. She smiles, turns around and finishes her run before making her way back to her cabin, counting every last second until she got to see him again.


End file.
